The verse of the day from my flippy calendar yesterday was Mark 13:32-33, 36-37 NIV:
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: "Watch!"
Now this perplexed me. Not even the Son knows? Jesus Christ himself? I laid in bed last night thinking about this and even threw it at Jon who mumbled back something like, "Mmm. Wow. Interesting. Snozzzzzzzzz....." [Clearly he isn't taking literally the command to not be found sleeping.]
Has anyone ever caught this before? Have anything to say? I'll do my own set of investigation here but I'd be interested if anyone has anything enlightening to add. I mean we (okay, most believers) operate believing in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But I find it completely fascinating that they would operate separate from one another rather than as the old "three-in-one" that we all typically ascribe to. Why? What would be the purpose of the Son not knowing the day of God's return? And it also leads me to wonder, is Jesus Christ returning or is it truly only God? I mean, if the Son doesn't know the date, is the Son returning or is it only the Father? Semantics or something more?
15 years ago
4 comments:
Hmmm. I don't know either. But it's got me wondering now. I may have to boot Nathan over here to see what he thinks. This is more up his alley. Good topic for thought though.
The generally accepted explaination, and the one that I subscribe to, is that Jesus, in taking on humanity, essentially cut himself off from much of his divine power; including his forknowledge. The passage most often cited in support of such a claim would be Philippians 2:5-8
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Of course, this limitation of knowledge is not permanent. In Mark 13, Jesus is clearly speaking in the present tense. What He says would not necessarly be applicable in the future. Upon returning to the Father, Jesus takes up His divine authority and power once again, appearing to Stephen at the right hand of God [the Father]. I think that it's safe to say that Jesus then knew the day and the hour.
The Bible is unequivical that it is Jesus who is returning. Probably the best scriptural example is found in Acts 1:9-10
And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."
There are a number of other passages as well where Jesus and the apostles refer to the actual second coming of Jesus immediately preceeding what many refer to as "The White Throne Judgement" (which you can read about in detail in Matthew 25:31-46).
Not to be too controvertial as I sign off, but after saying all that I feel I must point out that I don't believe that your Mark 13 passage actually refers to the second coming of Christ at all. I have thought for some time now that this particular prediction was of a "coming" of Christ in judgment against the Nation of Israel which actually occured when the Roman army sieged the city of Jerusalem and the nation at large, destroying it completely and scattering the Jews across the known world. But that's a different and much longer comment.
Ahhh, wonderful. Thank you Faith and Nathan! This is the problem with verses of the day. If I had sat and read it in context I probably would have thought of similar conclusions, or at minimum continued to cross-reference. Thats the life of a mama who meditates on scripture through a flippy calendar next to a kitchen sink!
So, I pretty much agree with Nathan, but to add to the "non" controversy, while Mark 13:32-33 and 36-37 may very well refer to the judgement of Israel via the Romans, let us not forget that many times in Scripture (a lot of Isaiah really and many Psalms) refer to present time events or those shortly to pass AND the "end times" or future events surrounding the returning of Christ.
Also, by reading the entire chapter of Mark 13, I see many references that could really only be to the return of Jesus and the tribulation, such as,
"18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again."
and,
"26 At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens."
Okay, so adding a little fuel to the fire! ;)
Tanya
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